17th April 1916
Arthur has had a strenuous Palm Sunday and falls asleep instead of writing to Dollie … so a letter of two halves; Dollie is seeing Fr McNamara today and he is anxious to hear how that goes; she is also shopping for a new outfit, ready for Arthur’s next leave – satisfactory boots are hard to find, as she has such tiny feet; the wet weather has prevented firing practise on the range – but the men had to get wet first before the CO cancelled the shoot; the 169th Brigade are having a field day and Arthur and Dollie’s brother Edouard are to be umpires; Arthur is anxious for the return of his draft letter to the Pater, which Dollie is currently adding comments to.
Arthur to Dollie
Billets. France, Mon. morn. 8.15
… I had your dear letter of Friday yesterday: it came very quickly. I was so pleased to get it. I long for your dear news more & more every day. I shall be thinking of you so much to-day with Fr. Mc. Please God you will feel able to make arrangements with him. I do hope all will be all right. The coat & skirt sounds a success. I am already looking forward to seeing it: I hope the search for the boots will be successful…
Yesterday D.G. was pretty fine but to-day it’s simply pouring again – ugh. I got up at ten to 7: Confession & Communion at 7.30 – Mass at 8. It was Palm Sunday so we had a distribution of palms. I went to Mass again at 11.
In the afternoon I played in a football match – very strenuous work, dear, though we lost 3-0. After a late tea, I went up to the Orderly Room, & so back to dinner. I was awfully weary after so made a firm resolution to start my letter in my flea-bag. But I had scarcely got in it before I fell asleep…
Mon. even. 9.25
To-day has been yet another day of wind & rain. I was awfully pleased to get a letter – Saturday’s. The mails have been jolly good the last few days. I only hope they keep it up. This morning we were to have fired on the range: it was very wet & blowing a gale; so I went to Beresford (who came back yesterday) and told him I didn’t think it worth while trying to shoot. However he thought otherwise, but we had scarcely reached the range when he came riding up & said that it wasn’t worth it! So we went for a route march.
The 169th Brigade are going to have a field day when the weather permits, & our Brigade is furnishing a dummy enemy & 8 umpires, of whom Edouard & I are two. So this afternoon with Abbott & Minshull we rode over & had the scheme explained. We got back at 4.
Of course, as you know now, dear, this T. affaire has blown over, D.G. Sammy wasn’t really nasty about it, & “everyone” dear, applauds me rather than otherwise – so don’t worry your dear little head about that, will you, dear.
I haven’t much news to-day, little one – it has just been the ordinary round. I am anxious to have that letter for the Pater back, with your comments, darling, so that I can send it along. I’m looking forward to hearing how you got on with Fr Mc. to-day. I suppose I sha’n’t hear till Thursday or with luck Wednes. Please God, all is all right.